Friday, March 1, 2013

The Canadian Film Fest and Super Channel are proud to partner on this unique opportunity for screenwriters. Writers, if you want to fast track your brilliant screenplay to production, this award can help you do that.

The CFF Super Channel Screenplay Accelerator is open to Canadian screenwriters who’ve written a feature-length screenplay they’d love to see broadcast on Super Channel. To the winning script, Super Channel will provide a broadcast pre-license of $30,000-$50,000. The final pre-license amount will be negotiated dependent on the budget and will be paid to the production when the film airs on Super Channel. This pre-license will help the winning writer attract producers and financing to their project, greatly accelerating the chances of the project making it all the way through to production.
In addition to the pre-license, a Super Channel executive will be involved in the selection of the winning script, and will provide feedback on the script as well as guidance throughout the production process.

A runner-up will also receive a one-on-one notes session generously donated by Warren P. Sonoda.
In addition, the top five scripts will be added to The It List, which is a list of the best unproduced scripts in Canada – a great resource for producers!

Eligibility:

-The screenwriter must be a Canadian citizen, and the production of the screenplay must qualify as Canadian content.
-The screenwriter needs to have one or more produced credits. Produced credits include short films, feature films, television series or television one-offs. The credit can be in either fiction or non-fiction and the production must have either had broadcast or festival play.
-Exclusive first window broadcast rights for English Canada must be available and unencumbered by any other financing attached.
Submissions:

-Please submit a screenplay, one page synopsis and CV (for verification of eligibility) to caleb@canfilmfest.ca.
-The deadline is March 15, 2013, 5pm Eastern.
-To defray the cost of script analysts, there is a $35 entry fee. We will accept the first 100 entries, so don’t procrastinate!
Other stuff to know:

-The pre-license grants Super Channel the right to broadcast the produced film in an exclusive 18 month first window in keeping with Super Channel’s standard terms and conditions. -The produced film must have a budget no lower than $250,000. If the budget is higher than $800,000 it is possible the license fee may increase.
-The license fee will be paid to the rightsholder when the produced film airs on Super Channel, in keeping with Super Channel’s standard terms and conditions.